Method of using a stationary dome-shaped structure composed of linked converging lenses as a solar collector system

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a method to create a stationary solar collector system composed of linked converging lenses, structured in a dome or cone shape. The solar energy is refracted and concentrated through the converging lenses, in which then, heat specific points on the conical helix receiver pipe to heat the flowing liquid.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

With the rising concerns of the effects of the usage of fossil fuel such as ozone layer depletion and health effects due to air pollution, there has been a strong demand for clean energy and have resulted in many developments and improvements in renewable energy technologies. Over the past decade, many people have adopted many usages of the solar resource, including research in solar thermal applications and electricity generation. The main advantages of solar energy are that it is renewable, reliable, ubiquitous, and that it has no discharge of pollutants.

There have been many developments in reflecting-type solar collectors such as parabolic solar collectors. These types of collectors, however, would require the solar collector system to tilt at differing angles depending on the position of the sun at a given time and date. A solar collector system designed as a dome-structure would be stationary, regardless of the time of day or the position of the sun.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This method presents an alternative solution for capturing the solar resource with a stationary dome or cone shaped solar collector system composed of linked converging lenses, which concentrate the solar energy into specific focal points of a conical helix receiver pipe, which lies underneath the linked converging lenses.

As the sun's rays hit the surface of the solar dome, the converging lenses refract and focus the solar energy onto specific points inside the solar dome on the conical helix receiver pipe, which would then heat the liquid flowing inside the pipe.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

This method can be clearly explained with reference to the following drawings:

FIG. 1A/B/C are illustrations of linked converging lenses shaped as a dome or cone.

FIG. 2A/B are illustrations of connected converging lenses in different shapes covered in all surfaces of the dome or cone.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of refracted solar rays focusing onto the conical helix receiver pipe.

FIG. 4 is an illustration of the conical helix receiver pipe.

FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional view of the receiver pipe divided into two sections.

FIG. 4B is an illustration of the entrance region of the receiver pipe.

FIG. 4C is an illustration of the top region of the receiver pipe.

FIG. 5 is an illustration of the solar collector system and heating system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The solar collector system is composed of linked converging lenses which refract and focus the solar rays onto specific points of a conical helix receiver pipe, which then heats the liquid flowing in the pipe.

Depending on the location where the solar collector system is installed, the layout of the linked converging lenses may be arranged into a dome shape, as shown in FIG. 1A, an oval shape, as shown in FIG. 1B, or a cone shape, as shown in FIG. 1C, etc. The physical size and capacity of the solar collector system may depend on the purpose of the usage.

The purpose of the “dome-shaped” layouts is to capture solar energy in a stationary position during any time of the day or in any direction.

The shape of the converging lenses may take differing shapes, for example, as shown in FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B, linked to form the dome shape of the solar collector system.

The linked converging lenses refract the solar rays, which are then directed to specific points in the receiver pipe, as shown in FIG. 3, heating the liquid flowing inside the pipe. This liquid may have a low boiling point.

The conical helix receiver pipe, as illustrated in FIG. 4, is shaped in a way that it has the same slope as the slope of the outer surface of the linked lenses. The purpose of these two components having the same angled slopes is so that the perpendicular distance between the converging lens and the receiver pipe at any point of the dome are equal.

The coiled receiver pipe is divided into two bordering sections as shown in FIG. 4A. One section contains low temperature liquid 1, and the other bordering section contains high temperature liquid 2. The low temperature liquid becomes warmer as it is pumped through the receiver pipe.

In the entrance region, as shown in FIG. 4B, the two sections of the receiver pipe are separated. The liquid tank pumps low temperature liquid 1 into the receiver pipe while the high temperature liquid 2 is pumped to the heat exchanger.

As the low temperature liquid 1 becomes heated as it ascends 3 to the top region (as shown in FIG. 4C) of the receiver pipe, the liquid then descends 4 back to the entrance region.

The solar collector system and heating system are presented in FIG. 5. As the solar collector's linked converging lenses 5 refract the sun's rays in any time of the day or in any direction, the low temperature liquid is pumped into the conical helix receiver pipe 6 from the liquid tank 7 through the entrance region (as seen in FIG. 4B). When the temperature of the liquid in the liquid tank 7 is very low, the pumped liquid is heated by a gas boiler 8 to ensure that the liquid's temperature is in acceptable ranges to run through the system. As the low temperature liquid ascends and descends through the receiver pipe, the liquid is heated by solar energy refracted from the linked converging lenses and then pumped into the heat exchanger 9. The high temperature liquid from the receiver pipe heats the water from the water reservoir 11 while the high temperature liquid cools. Then the cooled liquid is pumped back to the liquid tank 7. The high temperature water from the heat exchanger 9 is pumped into the backup water heater 10 to heat water from the water reservoir 11. The size of the backup water heater 10 would depend on the purpose of its usage. The high temperature water from the backup water heater 10 is pumped into a hot water tank 12 for its needed purposes. When the temperature of the water from the heat exchanger 9 exceeds its boiling point and vapor is produced, the vapor would power the steam turbine 13 to generate electricity. The pumps of the heater system are regulated and controlled from a controller 14. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method to refract and focus the solar resource inside the solar dome at any time of the day or in any direction by using a solar collector system composed of linked converging lenses structured as a dome or cone shape. 